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MB McGrady And Co Chartered Accountants Handicap Hurdle (Div I)

14:47 Downpatrick Fri 18 Sep 2026 2m1f165y Good 13 runners

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Mr Fox’s call

Mercurial Sea silks

Mercurial Sea

SPECULATIVE Advised 11/2 Est. 24%

5TH

Mr Fox says

Mercurial Sea (SR:84, 11/2) is the most compelling combination of signals in this field. The market has shortened 16% since opening — meaningful money coming in — and crucially this is the only runner with a confirmed DistFit:+ at today's 2m1f trip, an edge that matters on a National Hunt track. The course form (W0P1 at Downpatrick) adds familiarity, and at 11-7 it carries 7lb less than top-weight Tropical Twist. Trainer Slevin at 7% is modest but the jockey Carl Millar's 11% strike rate for a conditional is respectable, and the form figure '2828' shows consistent competitiveness rather than boom-or-bust running. Each-way alternative: John Dixen. Main danger: John Dixen — John Dixen (SR:74, 9/2) is the most aggressively supported runner in the race with Mkt:in19%, carries a featherweight 10-0, is the yard's likely #1 for P J Rothwell (8%, 1,743 runners), and at age 4 carries the strongest progressive profile in the field — the market is clearly treating it as the stable's primary chance.

Verify· #18370

Full result

Winner: Might Be The One (IRE) at SP 6/1. Mr Fox’s picks highlighted in gold.

  1. 1 Might Be The One silks Might Be The One Fox #3 Andrew McNamara · Conor Stone-Walsh 11/4
  2. 2 John Dixen silks John Dixen Fox #2 P J Rothwell · Shane O'Callaghan(3) 4/1
  3. 3 Pahlavi silks Pahlavi John Joseph Hanlon · Harry Sexton(7) 9/1
  4. 4 Doyen Og silks Doyen Og Adrian Sexton · Daniel King 5/1
  5. 5 Mercurial Sea silks Mercurial Sea Fox #1 Nigel Thomas Slevin · Carl Millar(5) 9/2
  6. 6 Tropical Twist silks Tropical Twist Fox #4 Gordon Elliott · Paddy Cleary(7) 6/1
  7. 7 Whispering Hopes silks Whispering Hopes Liam Lennon · Mr E P Powell(7) 14/1
  8. 8 Glendaars Crystal silks Glendaars Crystal Dermot A McLoughlin · P J O'Hanlon 33/1
  9. — Two Can Plan silks Two Can Plan A. Slattery · Philip Donovan 20/1
  10. — Paymelater silks Paymelater S Michael Millar · Ricky Doyle 16/1
  11. — Nelliestar silks Nelliestar Thomas Patrick McGettigan · Alan O'Sullivan(5) 50/1
  12. — Greenroad Girl silks Greenroad Girl R K Watson · Mike O'Connor 40/1
  13. — Lucky This Time silks Lucky This Time P J Rothwell · Simon Torrens 50/1

Top 4 — how each finished

  1. 1 Mercurial Sea silks Mercurial Sea 11/2 5TH
  2. 2 John Dixen silks John Dixen 9/2 🥈 2ND
  3. 3 Might Be The One silks Might Be The One 2/1 SP 6/1 🏆 WON
  4. 4 Tropical Twist silks Tropical Twist 5/1 6TH